Oh, I think we do have recognizable voices in our work, but in general I don't think it's a good thing. I would not want every poem I ever wrote to be instantly recognizable as a Carol poem, because then every poem I ever wrote would be just like every other poem I ever wrote, and I would get sick of the sound of my own voice. But since I'm a cynical old bag with a twisted sense of humor (at war with the tattered remains of a naieve streak that insists there really is a tooth fairy), and since we can't disguise our handwriting even when we try, much of my poetry probably is going to be recognizable. I attempt to be true to the character or point of view (real or imagined) of the speaker and to vary the rhyme scheme, meter, style, and content from one poem to the next according to the effect I want. The problem is I have the same old ear and subjective taste to screen it all with.
Carol
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